Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Circa 1828 with later alterations and extensions, including redevelopment, 1965. Austere classical two-storey five-bay villa with lower (two-storey) single-bay pavilion to the east; Outer canted bays of main block added in late 19th century. Lightly droved sandstone ashlar, coursed sandstone to sides and rear. Outlook tower and canted bay to rear. Base and blocking courses, eaves cornice. Architraves to segmental-headed windows.

South (principal) elevation: porch with fluted Greek Doric columns and entablature in outer right bay of main block, surmounted by canted window with balustraded parapet. Balustraded two-storey canted window to outer left bay; segmental-headed windows in canted bays and ground floor centre bays.

North (rear) elevation: central piend-roofed two-storey canted bay with decorative wrought-iron balcony at first floor level. Two-storey bay to right. Narrow two-storey bay flanking to left, topped by outlook tower (former viewing platform), recently enclosed and glazed. Lower bay with windows in arched recessed panel to left.

Predominantly plate glass in timber sash and case windows; 6-pane lying-pane pattern glazing in upper sashes of south elevation second storey; modern tower windows. Graded grey slates. Corniced ashlar stacks.

Boundary walls, railings, gates and gatepiers: low ashlar walls to front with base course and ashlar coping. Very elaborate later wrought-iron railings (designed 1913), gates, gateposts, standard lamp and (working) fountain. Coursed sandstone retaining walls with arched coping to west and north.

Statement of Special Interest

Part of a group with Manor House (17 Boswall Road, seeLB28337), Boswall House (19 Boswall Road, see LB28338) and Forthview House (21 and 23 Boswall Road - formerly Wardiebank House, see LB28339), forming together a quasi-Baroque composition, spectacularly sited on the edge of the raised beach overlooking the Forth. Battered retaining wall runs along the edge of the slope to the north of all three properties. The linking flat-roofed pavilions (whose fenestration has suffered several alterations) may have been built later, as the Post Office Directories map shows the villas as three separate blocks. However, the linking pavilions are clearly present on Johnstone's very accurate map of 1851, and the Post Office maps continue to show three separate blocks until 1860.

An entry in the Edinburgh Evening Courant of August 15th 1836 may give a clue to the architect of these villas. Captain JD Boswall advertises that his lands 'of Windstrawlee and Wardie... are to be fued for every description of Villa, double or single Houses, shops and such other buildings as the increasing trade and intercourse by steam navigation may require, on the establishment of the great steam packet landing place (at Granton).... Lithographic plans are in preparation,' by Dicksons Architects, 9 Blenheim Place. Although this date is too late for the Wardie villas, stylistic resemblances with Dicksons' Gardner's Crescent and Leith Town Hall can be discerned.

The ornamental railings extending along the frontage of Manor House, Boswall House and Forthview House came originally from the RMS Aquitania, built by John Brown and Co Ltd for the Cunard Steamship Company in 1913. Illustrations in THE SHIPBUILDER, June, 1913, show the ironwork in the lounge, restaurant and staircase, and the present garden gates as elevator gates. Sir JD Pollock, who owned Manor, Boswall and Forthview Houses from around1920 until his death in 1962, was the owner of a ship-breaking company which became Metal Industries Ltd. The Aquitania was not retired until 1949, but she was requisitioned in both World Wars, so it is possible that the ornamental ironwork was removed at an earlier date. Pollock (also donor of Pollock Halls and other University properties), lived in Manor House, while Boswall and Forthview Houses were used as the Pollock Missionary Residencies.

Manor House, Boswall House and Forthview House were developed in 1965 by Broadland Properties (architects Walter Duns of Duns, Berwickshire), their intention being to convert the houses into 12 flats (Scotsman 30.6.65), with the addition of garages and mews flats to the east. Not all the subdivision was carried out, and Manor House has since returned to single ownership.

There is a carved stone to the south of the villa within the boundary walls. The stone has a lion rampant motif on its north face and a carved crown on the top.

Listed building record revised in 2018.

References

Bibliography

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.